Link to this page: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/654/10975
From The Socialist newspaper, 19 January 2011
Urgent action needed to end youth unemployment
As the Con-Dem coalition and Labour engage in pointless bickering over who "caused" the current problem with youth unemployment, the fact remains that nothing is being done to combat it.
The Tories are blaming Labour schemes that did nothing to help people back into employment, whilst Labour blames the cutting of schemes such as the Future Jobs Fund. The truth is that both are to blame.
The Future Jobs Fund, by only giving temporary work, was used to massage the unemployment figures and did little to help those who were unemployed. Whilst obviously critical of such schemes, Youth Fight for Jobs (YFJ) condemns the coalition's decision to just get rid of it rather than improve it.
As they continue their brutal ideological attack on the welfare state we'll see unemployment, especially for young people, grow and grow. Instead of cuts and token schemes, we need socialist policies that offer a real future for young people.
We need proper training schemes, on agreed trade union rates of pay, with a guaranteed job at the end. Then we could see people getting the skills needed to get employment and end the pointless cycle of young people learning skills only to be thrown back on the dole at the end of it.
We need genuine job creation schemes. For instance we have thousands of builders on the dole and yet there is a housing shortage. A mass programme to build social housing would solve both problems.
For those with the skills needed to help in green energy projects, a renewable energy building scheme would not only help with offering cheap affordable energy but would offer employment to thousands.
Only through measures like this will we begin to deal with youth unemployment.
Unfortunately none of these will come to fruition with the current parties vying for power. We need to build a mass campaign to demand these and other policies aimed at helping people rather than giving profits to big business.
Matt Whale, YFJ unemployed organiser
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In The Socialist 19 January 2011:
National Shop Stewards Network
Discussing an NSSN anti-cuts campaign
Socialist Party NHS campaign
International socialist news and analysis
Socialist Party news and analysis
MPs' expenses scam continues: for workers' MPs on a worker's wage
Oldham East and Saddleworth by-election: A left-wing workers' alternative needed
Wales referendum: Vote Yes on 3 March - Defend public services in Wales
Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition
Socialist Party youth and students
Student receives draconian sentence
Students demand - 'save our EMA'
Education Maintenance Allowance: 11 January day of action
Urgent action needed to end youth unemployment
Socialist Party workplace news
PCS members vote for battle against cuts
Strike at sweatshop DWP centres
Teachers strike against redundancies
Heinz strikes force improved offer
Cameron 'thanks' postal workers by axing their jobs and pensions
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